Sailin' away
by Sam Waterston Fan
Summary: Don gets trapped on a car in the East River. Can Sheldon and Adam save him? Read and Review. Please. Oneshot


**This episode is set in Season 7**

**I do not own this show or the characters.**

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><p><strong>February 2011 in Silver Beach, New York-<strong>

Don and Sheldon left a home of a witness who knew the victim who was attacked. It had been raining hard for the last several days. Storm drains were backing up and overflowing the streets, and there was no sign of it letting up any time soon.

"She's lying," Don said as he drove down the street as they noticed some flooding that had already begun.

"Well, she knows more than she's saying," Sheldon said as they both noticed a van with a bike rack on top and it was floating to the river.

Don called for back up. "Oh boy, I guess it's time to get wet," Don said as they got to the river. They got out, put some rain gear on, and ran to the van.

Sheldon got some rope and put it around his waist then the rest around a tree then walked near the car while Don got on top of the car. The sirens of the firetruck wailed as they arrived at the scene and the mom, her son, and her daughter were on top of the car. The rain was cold and it was windy as the river was roaring.

"Okay, your daughter then your son can go first," Don told her as Sheldon was near the car as it started to move.

"Come on, let's go." The girl got off and Sheldon caught her then she was passed on to the fire fighters who had ropes tied around them.

"Go ahead," Don said as the boy did what his sister did and was given to fire fighters. A few seconds later the woman got down and Hawkes helped her to shore.

"Here you go, ma'am." The firefighters gave her and her children a yellow sheet when the ambulance arrived.

Hawkes turned around and saw Don was still on the car. He ran a few steps then was taken by the current. The car was a few hundred yards away as the river took it with it.

"DON!" Sheldon yelled as he used the rope to get back on shore but the river was too strong and the fire fighters used his rope to bring him in.

"Are you okay?" a firefighter asked.

"Yeah. I gotta get my friend. Are they going to be okay?" Sheldon indicated towards the family.

"Yes, the paramedic said they should be fine," he said.

"Thanks for your help," Sheldon said as he put the rope away then got in the car and drove towards the Throngs-Neck Bridge as he called Adam.

**Meanwhile on the van- **

Don hung on to the car rack as he noticed where he was going and really hoped Sheldon could help him out of this situation. He wondered where he would end up as the wind kept whistling and the rain was getting harder. He looked in the car and saw an umbrella, so he pried open the sun roof and took it out. He used the umbrella as a shield against the hard rain.

**At the lab-**

Adam made his rounds then his cellphone rang and he picked it up. "Ross. What? Are you serious? I'm going to the computers now. You are going to call Mac? Okay." Adam hung up. Once he got to the computer he brought up the map of New York then closed in on the bridges Don was nearby. Don had left his cellphone on so Adam was able to track it then Sheldon called Adam back. "Ross."

"Hey, Adam. I just got off the phone with Mac and they are on their way back and right now I am on the Throngs-Neck Bridge, I have the binoculars, and I see him."

"I have him on camera, Sheldon. He isn't at the Bronx bridge yet. Looks like he's got some sort of umbrella. I don't know man, I think the only way to get him is by boat but it looks very choppy." Adam was so busy with talking to Sheldon and tracking Don that he didn't notice his cellphone beeping an incoming call.

After a few minutes Sheldon got back on with Adam, "Adam, call Mac back. He's been trying to call you."

"Oh, thanks," Adam said then hung up. He called Mac back, "Mac? Sorry about that, I was talking to Sheldon and keeping track of Don's cell. No, he isn't past the Bronx bridge but looks like the van is very close to the columns of the bridge. Water just looks really choppy and it is raining very hard. I'll do that."

Adam looked up the streets that are normally flooded during the rainstorms and saw what routes Sheldon could take so he could keep track of Don.

**Meanwhile in the East River-**

Don was shivering and noticed he was getting close to the pillars of the bridge.

Don thought to himself, I_f I can just...just...get off this car and get on that pillar, I should be able to get out of the rain. Perhaps it will keep me from the wind, too. Hope Sheldon was able to get a hold of Mac. Could use a Marine's sensibility right now... If the rain and wind would just stop..._

Don decided to use the umbrella as an oar since he realized the car was moving towards Queens and he was closer to the Bronx side pillar than Queens. "I hope no one can see this, I'm going to get some major ribbing if they do," Don said.

**At the lab computer-**

Adam was keeping a watch of Don who getting closer to the column. "NO! Don!" Adam yelled as the car went under and Don was now in the water, swimming. Adam's cellphone rang. "Ross."

"Adam, I lost him! I don't see him anymore! Did he go under?" Sheldon said as he saw his friend disappear.

Mac, Danny, Jo, and Lindsay arrived and saw Adam on the phone. They saw the camera on Don who was swimming.

"Just relax, I have him on camera and he's swimming. Everything will be okay."

"Thank goodness," Sheldon said then he hung up.

"And will he get the gold? He is swimming his little heart out and must beat the time!" Adam acted like an announcer as he watched Don get close to the pillar. "He needs to beat 1 minute, 24 seconds and 12 milliseconds for the record and he's at 50 seconds. He only has a few meters left before he gets the record. He's gonna do it, he got the world record and the Gold!" Adam jumped as he turned then, "Oh! I didn't see you there." Adam sat back down.

They laughed as they planned what to do next.

"Good job, Adam." Danny patted his shoulder.

"Thanks," Adam said then continued as he looked at the map of Bronx. "What if we find a place we can stand on then maybe get a long rope and bring him in?"

Mac smiled as the others giggled, "We could do that."

"We could?" Jo asked.

Mac's cellphone rang and he picked it up, "Taylor. Yeah Sheldon. We are thinking of maybe having someone give him some rope and tug him back to land. No? You were? Okay, scratch that idea. I'll have to call you back." Mac hung up.

"Why are we scratching that idea?" Danny asked.

"Sheldon was also almost swept away and he said the river is just too strong."

"Maybe we should see if they can send a boat to get him?" Lindsay suggested.

"Not when it's so choppy," Jo said.

"I think we might have to chance it. He's been in that cold almost an hour and the storm won't let up," Mac said as he picked up his cell and called for a boat.

"I wish there was something we could do," Lindsay said as they watched Don on the pillar with his back to the column that kept the wind from him.

After everyone left Adam and headed to the conference room, Adam kept watch.

"No! Don, go back on that pillar! Mac!" Adam yelled then got on the phone with Sheldon. "Sheldon, get your ass to Miles Avenue in the Bronx, Don is making a swim for it! Hurry!"

"Got it, I have been on Dewey Avenue for sometime, just waiting for word."

"Good. Just get there," Adam said.

Mac and the gang went to see what Adam was yelling about. Mac asked, "He's not making a swim for it is he?"

"Yes, he is," Jo said sadly.

"We won't get that boat in time!" Mac snapped.

"Sheldon is nearby. He is going to Miles Avenue from Dewey, he was off the Throngs-Neck bridge for the last ten minutes."

"He'll get to him before we do," Danny said annoyed.

They knew they would never have gotten to Don in time and were glad Sheldon was nearby.

Sheldon arrived with the fire department who had helped with the woman and children in the van an hour earlier. Sheldon was going to get Don since it appeared he was getting tired.

**In the East River-**

Don continued to swim to shore and realized maybe it was such a bad idea since he was already tired. He turned to see he was too far from the bridge but he felt he was closer to land while he didn't notice Sheldon was coming towards him. Don started back for land but laid on his back to rest since he no longer had the energy and was so cold. A few minutes later he felt something take him but was too tired to try to fight back. Then he heard a voice.

"It's okay, buddy. It'll be alright."

Don couldn't figure out who it was but felt a mouthpiece go in his mouth then felt some air as he breathed in. Don was still very exhausted as he felt the water rush by him and everything seemed to be spinning. Then after a few moments he felt something on his back then saw some guys in yellow overcoats talking to him even though it was very muffled.

"Okay, let's get him in the ambulance," a firefighter said.

"I'll meet you at the hospital, alright?" Sheldon said then got in the car and followed the ambulance.

**At the crime lab-**

"Sheldon did it! He got him!" Danny shouted as they all smiled.

After a few minutes Sheldon called Mac to let him know what hospital Don was going to and the gang went to see Don.

**At the hospital-**

Don was sent to a room after arriving and the doctors in the ER observing him for a time. They had warm blankets on him to treat him for hypothermia. Don didn't realize he was back on land. The doctor talked to Mac.

"I understand he was in the water for an hour?" the doctor asked.

"Yes," Mac said.

"He will be hospitalized for a few days to make sure everything is okay. You are lucky that you got him here in time because I don't know how much longer he had since he was going in and out of consciousness."

A week later Don was back to work as he went to the lab to thank Sheldon and Adam for saving him. Sheldon was walking towards the elevator when he saw Don.

"I just want to say thanks," Don said with a smile.

"Hey, that's what friends are for." Sheldon went in the elevator and Don went to find Adam.

Adam was at the computer looking at the camera footage of a car crash near an intersection.

"Adam." Don walked up to him.

"Hey, how are things?"

"Good. Just wanted to uh...thanks for helping me out."

"That's what friends are for," Adam said with a smile.

**Later that night-**

Don went to see his sister, Samantha, to have dinner.

"So, what's new, big brother?" Sam asked.

"Eh, nothing much," Don said as he pulled a big forkful of salad out of the bowl, and kept his eyes down.

"You were never very good at lying, Don," Samantha said.

"When did you get so good at reading people?" Don asked.

"Hanging around with you I guess has rubbed off on me," Sam replied.

"Well, remember when it was raining...?" Don began.


End file.
